The World Cup - Your England XV

[daniel]

To start the first match

1.Corbesero
2.Thompson
3.Cole
4.Lawes
5.Palmer
6.Croft
7.Woods
8.Easter
9.Youngs
10.Flood
11.Sharples
12.Allen (but as MJ is blind) - Wilkinson
13.Tuilagi
14.Ashton
15.Foden

15.Hartley
17.Stevens
18.Deacon
19.Haskell
20.Care
21.Banahan
22.Strettle

[BBTOD]

My starting XV

1. Stevens (Sheridan off the bench if fit)
2. Hartley
3. Cole
4. Lawes
5. Palmer
6. Croft
7. Moody (Wood if Moody is unfit)
8. Easter (Waldrom off the bench)
9. Youngs
10.Flood
11. Ashton
12. Tindall
13. Tuilagi
14. Sharples
15. Foden

MJ's starting XV

1. Stevens
2. Hartley
3. Cole
4. Lawes
5. Palmer
6. Croft
7. Moody
8. Easter
9. Youngs
10. Flood
11. Ashton
12. Hape
13. Tindall
14. Cueto
15. Foden

I do think MJ is considering his options in the centres but I just cant see him not selecting Tindall IF fit. Tindall won a world cup playing inside centre and I dont rate Hape hence my midfield pairing.

If MJ plays the conservative card and sticks with Hape and Tindall then I dont think he will take Manu at all. He covers wing and centre and offers something different but unfortunately it seems to me that Bannahan is ahead of him in that role (god knows why).

[Duncan B]

Not to nit pick....but Tinds didnt win a world cup playing IC, he was the OC. He wore 12 as it was will greenwoods (the inside centres) unlucky number and he didnt want to wear it.

England XV :

1 Cole
2 Hartley
3 Stevens
4 Lawes
5 Palmer
6 Haskell
7 Moody (C)
8 Easter
9 Youngs
10 Wilkinson
12 Flood
13 Tindall (VC)
11 Cueto
14 Ashton
15 Foden

Reps

16 Sheridan
17 Thompson
18 Croft
19 Wood
20 Care
21 Hodgson
22 Tuilagi

Iv tried to make it as realistic as possible, I am hoping Jonno will have a eureka moment about wilko and flood at 10/12

[masopa]

Likely XV:

Sheridan
Hartley
Cole
Lawes
Palmer
Croft
Moody
Easter
Youngs
Flood
Ashton
Hape
Tindall
Cueto (may have him & Ashton the wrong way around)
Foden

No surprises, this is a RWC. However, based on who has the "necessary experience" to start an important RWC game (i.e. who has already been capped recently or has shown up really well in the Saxons), I'd prefer to see:

Wood at 7 (sorry Lewis)
Banahan at 12 (he's no worse than Hape and is at least British and he also has an ok boot)
Sharples at 14

I think, given the level of experience around him we can accommodate Charlie S and he has something Cueto doesn't: raw pace and finishing talent. Of course, I'd have liked to see a wider group of players getting caps in the last 2 years and while it's probably a bit much to expect Manu to have been given much of a run out, Allen should have been in & around the team for some time. Also, Farrell should, IMO, have been tested in the Saxons in preference to Rory Clegg (rather than U20s) which may have shown us enough to have him around and his flexibility to play 2nd 5/8 and FH would be very useful given the confines of the 30-man RWC squad.

We also need long-term replacements for Tindall & Easter. Given this we should have at least seen the other EQ 8s and 13s around the fringes of the senior squad (e.g. training sessions at the very least) for the last couple of years and we haven't.

[Duncan B]

Apart from being a mutinous comment I dont think that back row would be balanced at all with two such similr players as wood and croft in there, dare I say it....too lightweight?

[tigerblood]

1. Stevens
2. Hartley
3. Cole
4. Lawes
5. Croft
6. Haskell
7. Moody
8. Waldroum
9. Youngs
10. Flood
11. Ashton
12. Wilkinson
13. Banahan
14. Manu
15. Foden

Our 2nd row needs more athleticism and who better than Lawes and Croft, could be slightly light weight in the 2's but with Tom Waldroum and Haskell in the back row it will make up for it. Strong ball carrying 6 and 8, with good breakdown players at 4, 5 and 7. After the season Stevens has had he deserves his shot and that front row is a match for anyone. Youngs and Flood on their day are World Class. Wilkinson as a playmaker, kicker and defensively needs to be involved at 12. Pressure would be taken off Floody as well. Banahan a strong quick runner, developed his hands well over this last season and defensively sound. Manu too naive defensively sometimes to include at 13, but at 14 with his finishing and power combining with Foden and Ashton for a pacy well balanced back 3.

[4071]

Ahhhh 12T!
12.12T 13.Manu
If only it was possible!


Croft I like but Robshaw I fear.
I might put Wood at 8 and bring Croft in but would have to lose Waldrom to do that and I think Croft could be a awesome player to have on for the last 20 minutes against anyone.

He'd be even better if he was on for the full 80. He is a better player than Wood. Full stop. No argument.

Tom Croft is one of the small handful of genuine world class players in the England set-up, and for all the quality of Wood's first season, Croft is England's best blindside flanker.

[Duncan B]

I wouldnt put Wood at 8 when there are Easter, Waldroum and Haskell in the squad all of whom have significantly more experience than him there. Not many people picking Haskell, forgetting how well he played in 6n??

[The Boy Dave]

Robshaw? Chris Robshaw?? in the second row???

Yep! I would try it just to see if we can get a more mobile pack!
He is a big strong heavy lad at nearly 18 stone for a back row and he is very powerful around the field and the lock position next to Lawes has become a bit of a problem for England to fill.
Obviously we would need extra line out ability in the back row for it to work out and lads like Croft would come into that equation but Croft isn't heavy enough to be lock at international level.
The locks and back row ability around the park are going to be crucial against the southern hemisphere teams.
I take the point about Tom Wood's lack of experience but I haven't seen a better support line runner all season from the back row and even though he may have had an easier ride than most behind that big Saints front five he has been very good and our ability to keep the ball alive will be crucial to our chances.
Croft has had a tough old season and I think in missing Moody's input for us he has had to change his game slightly but I like him and when all else fails I accept he is the man as he proved when he played for the lions.

[Duncan B]

Since when did you have to be heavy to be a lock?? Sam Whitelock is one of the best at the moment and he is such a similar player to croft! If you want to accomodate them both you would surely put Robshaw at 6 and croft at lock. Though picking Robshaw over Haskell would be very surprising

[RashTigerJ]

I can't see there being many surprises in MJs team. The philosophy still seems to be evolution not revolution. The last warm up match will provide most of the answers. I would imagine the team will be similar to this:

1 Sheridan
2 Hartley
3 Cole
4 Deacon
5 Palmer
6 Croft
7 Moody (C)
8 Easter
9 Youngs
10 Flood
11 Cueto
12 Hape
13 Tindall
14 Ashton
15 Foden

Reps

16 Thompson
17 Stevens
18 Shaw
19 Haskell
20 Care
21 Wilkinson
22 Banahan

The rest of the squad will probably be:
Chuter
Wilson
Lawes
Wood
Waldrom
Wigglesworth
Hodgson
Armitage

[The Boy Dave]

Locks don't necessarily have to be heavy but they have to be heavy enough, Croft ain't.
I wouldn't pick Haskell, a glory hunter with white line fever. I saw him stand and watch as one of his teammates lay on the floor getting a shoeing once at Wasps.

[iceman_19]

1. Stevens
2. Hartley
3. Cole
4. Lawes
5. Palmer
6. Croft
7. Moody
8. Easter

9. Youngs
10. Flood
11. Cueto/Monye (looked good since returning from injury)
12. Banahan
13. Tindall
14. Ashton
15. Foden

16. Thompson
17. Sheridan
18. Deacon
19. Haskell
20. Care
21. Wilkinson
22. Tuilagi

Banahan at 12 might raise some eyebrows but I he's played better there than at 13 for Bath. He does everything Hape does, except better. He is also less exposed at 12, and has Flood and Tindall on either side keeping him in check. Haskell to cover the back row, Manu to cover wing and centre (Cueto can cover full back if needed).

[tb1]

If we have any ambition of winning the thing then unless they choke (not improbable) we will need to beat NZ. That means stopping SBW. That is one thing that Bananaman would be just the guy to do.